I'm no Christian, and certainly no Wiccan, but I dearly love one or two bits of scripture. Particularly The Apocrypha. (according to the authorised version)

"The Wisdom of Solomon" is the fairest and most beautifully written piece of scripture I've ever read. The more I read it, the more Heretical it seems, in comparison to the Old Testament from which it has been put to one side. I can see perfectly why it's not included as catechism, but at the same time, I can see how the Council of Nicea couldn't just discard it either. It would have been a huge loss if this work had been lost. It unashamedly builds a feminine principle and then weaves it beautifully and without detracting from the Patriarchal principles of the OT, into an alchemical marriage of Male and Female principles.

Solomon certainly has to be one of the more interesting Patriarchs of the OT. And universally revered for his all encompassing and badass superpower, "Wisdom" And therin, I think lies the Heresy. "TWoS" Portrays this Nth Magnitude of Wisdom as a fully Feminine Goddess principle, but it's so skilfully presented. This is no clumsy token nod to the feminine principle, it has all the powerful attributes you'd associate with the earlier Cults of Astarte, or Isis. Here's a couple of chunks. From Chapter 7

I[/t]MYSELF also am a mortal man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth,[/color]2 And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure that came with sleep.[/size][/color]3 And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.[/size][/color]4 I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares.[/size][/color]5 For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth.[/size][/color]6 For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.[/size][/color]7 Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.[/size][/color]8 I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.[/size][/color]9 Neither compared I unto her any precious stone, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as clay before her.[/size][/color]10 I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for the light that cometh from her never goeth out.[/size][/color]11 All good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands.[/size][/color]12 And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goeth before them: and I knew not that she was the mother of them.[/size][/color]13 I learned diligently, and do communicate her liberally: I do not hide her riches.[/size][/color]14 For she is a treasure unto men that never faileth: which they that use become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning.[/size][/color]15 God hath granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto wisdom, and directeth the wise.[/size][/color]16 For in his hand are both we and our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship.[/size][/color]17 For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements:[/size][/color]18 The beginning, ending, and midst of the times: the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons:[/size][/color]19 The circuits of years, and the positions of stars:[/size][/color]20 The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beasts: the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men: the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots:[/size][/color]21 And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know.[/size][/color]22 For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good,[/size][/color]23 Kind to man, stedfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure, and most subtil, spirits.[/size][/color]24 For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness.[/size][/color]25 For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her.[/size][/color]26 For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness.[/size][/color]27 And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself, she maketh all things new: and in all ages entering into holy souls, she maketh them friends of God, and prophets.[/size][/color]28 For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom.[/size][/color]29 For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.[/size][/color]30 For after this cometh night: but vice shall not prevail against wisdom.[/size]

SHE preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall,

2 And gave him power to rule all things.

3 But when the unrighteous went away from her in his anger, he perished also in the fury wherewith he murdered his brother.

4 For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the righteous in a piece of wood of small value.

5 Moreover the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto God, and kept him strong against his tender compassion toward his son.

6 When the ungodly perished, she delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities.

7 Of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness: and a standing pillar of salt u a monument of an unbelieving soul.

8 For regarding not wisdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolishness: so that in the things wherein they offended they could not so much as be hid.

9 But wisdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her.

10 When the righteous fled from his brother's wrath, she guided him in right paths, shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him rich in his travails, and multiplied the fruit of his labours.

11 In the covetousness of such as oppressed him she stood by him, and made him rich.

12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait, and in a sore conflict she gave him the victory; that he might know that godliness is stronger than all.

13 When the righteous was sold, she forsook him not, but delivered him from sin: she went down with him into the pit,

14 And left him not in bonds, till she brought hi the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: as for them that had accused him, she shewed them to be liars, and gave him perpetual glory.

15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless seed from the nation that oppressed them.

16 She entered into the soul of the servant of the Lord, arid withstood dreadful kings in wonders and signs;

17 Rendered to the righteous a reward of their labours, guided them in a marvellous way, and was unto them for a cover by day, and a light of stars in the night-season;

18 Brought them through the Red sea, and led them through much water:

19 But she drowned their enemies, and cast them up out of the bottom of the deep.

20 therefore the righteous spoiled the ungodly, and praised thy holy name, O Lord, and magnified with one accord thine hand, that fought for them.

21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak eloquent.

I also just want to say as a side note that, Christian or Non-Christian, everyone should read the bible. Just to educate themselves, to have a firm grasp and a credible reference when they're disputing or defending this religion, and frankly... it's history.

I have read most of the New Testament. Prettysure all the Old. I would never suggest to anyone not reading at least the New Testament. I would highly recommend the Nag Hammadi as well. At least I branched out...

I'm not wiccan, but I switched to paganism for several reasons, but two stick out the most. One, I technically was born pagan. I was a strange child to begin with. Two, in many Christian religions, women are portrayed as the evil, the root of original sin. Add to the fact that in many christian circles the woman is suppose to stay home and tend to the kids...well it basically made me go "WTF!" I'm a woman, supposedly evil, the alleged root of original sin, and they stillwant to leave me in charge of the kiddies. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. LOL! So, I went pagan. Things make sense to me now.

I get this NPM, I was strange as a child too, I wasn't born Pagan though. I grew up in a Christian environment (when I wasn't rebelious that is). I never seemed to fit into anything the other kids did, so I was rather alienated.

I was turning Pagan a long time ago although it wasn't anything I understood at the time. It wasn't until years later that things fell into place and a lot of things became clearer. I still wasn't there as I had no idea how to go about it all, and no guidance. I guess it all kind of drifted together for me, and it was the realisation that was more sudden.

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Technically, the family I was born into was Christian too, I was just way different from the rest of them from the onset. For instance, my childhood mind thought up...what was the point in taking a shower if it was going to rain that day? Wash up outside, or trying to charm bunnies to do my bidding. LOL! However, in all fairness, we weren't a typically normal Christian family. Dad was a Freemason, mom was an Eastern Star, and we hardly ever went to church although I was in a church group for a while as a teen to help "fit in" better.

I think that what you've brought up, NPM, is something crucial to the Christian-->Wicca movement. I'm a feminist, and a lot of the reason behind it, I think, is coming from a Christian home. I was raised by my father, who constantly reminded me that a woman's job is to be a wife, to have babies, to cook, to clean. That a woman is different from a man. That a woman is weak. I had an older brother, and that was proven to me time and time again and my parents shoveled all their affection, money, and support on him while I worked harder every year in school and life than he has in all his 23 years. I love my brother, and I don't blame him for the way my parents treated him and me, but I have noticed a sense of entitlement in his personality from it. Did the view on women in Christianity and the view of women in Wicca affect my choices? Absolutely. From the very first time I sat down and began researching Wicca, that was one of the very first things to attract me.

A very massonic background then, I didn't have anything like that. My early life was a bit of a confusion. My dad was originally the one who was more into getting me religiously educated then it was mum. She came from a Plymouth Brethren upbringing.

I was just strange to my peers and simply didn't like what they liked and so didn't fit in.

Spiritually I guess although I was (or so I claimed) a Christian, a lot of it didn't ring true for me in a subtle way (like a niggle at the back of your mind).

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